Before tonight’s finale, I caught up on the previous episode of The Next Food Network Star. My husband said it had a surprising twist at the end, but wouldn’t confirm or deny any of my guesses.

After the challenge du jour on Rachael Ray’s show, I wasn’t sure who to pick as my favorite out of Amy, Rory and JAG. I find Amy down-to-earth and relate-able as a fellow mom. I like Rory’s food style and her spunky personality. JAG, although rough around the edges, reminded me of another Food Network star (Bam!) with his larger-than-life spot on Rachael’s show.

After the Iron Chef challenge, I thought Amy excelled as a commentator and worked well along side of Alton. Then, she spoke positively and with a level-head during her radio interview. (The bagel sandwiches weren’t that creative though LOL)

I thought Amy’s speaking and culinary skills might give her an advantage, but they choose to send her home.

Then, I was further surprised to hear JAG’s confession that he had falsified his information which explained why he was worried about discussing his past during the radio challenge. (That would have made for interesting TV if he had been exposed during that challenge.) JAG was not a culinary school graduate or ever deployed to Afghanistan as he originally stated to The Food Network.

The taped “confession” from JAG felt contrived but necessary to clear the network.

I’m not sure why anyone applying for a reality TV show would choose to disclose false information. There’s always someone somewhere who is willing to blow the whistle. Unfortunately for JAG, this choice cost him a spot on the finals and tarnished his integrity on national TV.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to tonight’s showdown between Rory and Amy!

Do you have a favorite between the two finalists? What did you think of The Next Food Network Star finale? Do you agree with the winner they chose?

By TVJunkie Jenn